Kelli Pry Leads 2021 AGA Women’s Amateur Championship

Kelli Pry of Tampa, Fla. fired an opening round even-par 72 at Forest Creek Golf Club’s South Course and leads the Championship Division by one stroke. Amy Ellertson of Free Union, Va. carded a 1-over-par 73 and holds a one-stroke lead in the Senior Division.

Pry, who played collegiately at the University of South Florida, began her round with a bogey on the par-4 first hole. However, after a string of seven pars in a row, she caught fire. Pry birdied holes 9-12 to find herself 3-under for the day. Despite closing with three bogeys to post even-par, the reinstated amateur leads the field by one stroke.

Pry recently finished tied sixth at the Florida State Golf Association Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship in May. She tied for ninth at last year’s championship and will look to continue her great play on Thursday.

The defending champion Lauren Greenlief of Ashburn, Va. carded an opening 1-over-par 73. She is tied for second with Dawn Woodard of Greer, S.C. and Megan Buck of North Easton, Mass. Woodard claimed a top-10 finish at last year’s championship and Buck was a quarterfinalist at the 2019 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur.

Linda Jeffery of Prattville, Ala., Brooke Hutto of Aiken, S.C., Meghan Stasi of Overland Park, Fla. and Samantha Perrotta of Bordentown, N.J. are all tied fifth after rounds of 2-over-par 74. Amanda Jacobs of Portland, Ore., Mariah Hopkins of Danville, Va. and Megan Grehan of Rye, N.Y. round out the top-11 with rounds 3-over-par 75.

In the Senior Division, the defending champion is eyeing a repeat. Ellertson played a steady round of golf with birdies on the par-4 eighth and par-3 17th. She carded three bogeys en route to a 73. Ellertson claimed a top-10 finish at the Ladies National Golf Association Senior in April, and will look to add to her impressive amateur resume this week.

Patricia Brogden of Garner, N.C. is solo second after carding an opening 2-over-par 74. Therese Quinn of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. and Mary Jane Hiestand of Naples, Fla. are tied third at 4-over par, while Pamela Kuong of Wellesley Hills, Mass. rounds out to top-5 after a 5-over-par 77.

Founded in 1996, Forest Creek Golf Club features two state-of-the-art championship courses nestled within the North Carolina Sandhills. The North and South Course were both designed by renowned golf course architect Tom Fazio. This year’s championship is taking place on the beautiful South Course, which weaves through rolling terrain and features an unforced, natural appearance. To this day, Fazio calls it one of his greatest accomplishments as a golf course architect and is a great test for players of all levels.

For more information on the 2021 AGA Women’s Amateur Championship, including complete scoring, click here.

Amateur Golf Alliance:  The “AGA” was established to support and promote the amateur game via competitions providing amateur golfers throughout the globe more opportunities to compete at national and international events, and fund research and initiatives that will enhance the landscape of competitive amateur golf.  The AGA has provided financial support for members of the United States practice squads for both the Walker Cup and Curtis Cup teams.

ANERA SPORTS, LLC:  Founded in 2018, Anera Sports has quickly established a presence in the golf community. Anera partnered with Veritex Community Bank to host the Korn Ferry Tour’s Veritex Bank Championship at the Texas Rangers Golf Club. Anera provides event management services to some of the top amateur championships in the country and operates the business of several amateur golf associations including the Trans-Mississippi Golf Association and the Amateur Golf Alliance. Anera also provides consulting services to corporations, clubs and tournaments in the strategic planning, management and implementation of sports related initiatives. Anera has created and managed championships at some of the top-ranked clubs in the country and provides a first-class experience for all parties. Anera Sports is headquartered in Dallas.